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Springfield officials announced today they are calling for a criminal investigation into allegations that city property and funds may have been misused at the city's southwest wastewater treatment plant.

After wrapping up an internal review, Springfield officials announced Tuesday they now will have police look into allegations that city property and funds were misused at the city's southwest wastewater treatment plant.

One department employee has been fired and two others, including a top plant manager, voluntarily resigned in recent weeks, but the city has not said if the departures are related. Tuesday's news release said the city does not intend to release records related to the personnel investigation, saying in the release that "(a)ll personnel matters are private and confidential."

Instead, "City Manager Greg Burris has requested a separate investigation by the Springfield Police Department to determine what, if any, criminal misconduct occurred," the release said, noting Burris' request came after a "review of the facts revealed in the investigation ..."

The request ensures at least some information about the allegations eventually will be made public. Records of a criminal investigation are public under the state Sunshine Law, although some may be closed while an investigation is ongoing.

Springfield Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said Tuesday the case has been assigned to an investigator but an incident report had not yet been created. One likely will be available today, she said.

The news release said little about the nature of the allegations other than noting that the review of departmental operations "focuses on potential misuse of city-owned property and funds at the Southwest Treatment Plant," the larger of the city's two treatment facilities.

The News-Leader requested information about the allegations after receiving several emails about the investigation. The city so far has refused a number of Sunshine requests filed by the News-Leader, saying the records fall under an exemption for individually-identifiable personnel records. The News-Leader has continued negotiating with the city for the release of some recent payroll records for employees at the treatment plant.

At the News-Leader's request, the city has provided updates on changes in staffing at the southwest plant since the personnel investigation began in early September.

According to the city, the contract of one employee, Terry McConnell, was terminated Sept. 29. McConnell, whose position was listed as contract biosolids crew leader, had been a city employee since October 2012. He was paid $33,675 by the city in 2013, according to a News-Leader database of city salaries.

Two other employees voluntarily resigned, according to the city.

Kelly Green, who had been the plant's superintendent, resigned effective Oct. 1 after working for the city since August 2003. Green was paid $59,114 in 2013.

Scott Foley, the plant's biosolids coordinator, resigned Oct. 3 after working for the city since August 2005. He was paid $54,365 in 2013.

The release said the city "acted swiftly" after being notified of concerns at the plant and continues to review "all aspects of how the facility does business, both operationally and financially, using outside industry experts and an external audit firm to do a comprehensive financial review."

The plant has won numerous industry awards and has operated more than 20 years without an accident that resulted in lost time, the city said.

"The Southwest Treatment Plant is an outstanding facility served by 42 dedicated employees who work tirelessly to take care of the award-winning plant and the customers served by the plant," said City Manager Greg Burris. "We believe the events that occurred are isolated and are continuing further investigation and reviews to ensure proper measures have been taken to prevent future problems of this nature ... We will await further action until these reviews and the police investigation are concluded."

It was not immediately clear whether the 42 employees Burris mentioned included the three whose employment recently ended.